Discharge-door-operating mechanism



June 12, 1928.

F. E. MILLER DISCHARGE DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 23, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet June 12, 1928.

F. E. MILLER DISCHARGE DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 23, 1923 ii c) Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. MILLER, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AESSIGNOR TO PRESSED STEEL CAR COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION OF NEW,JER-

DISOH ARGE -DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed November 23, 1923.

This invention relates to railway dump cars and has for an ob ect the provision of lllttDS for supporting and releasing a discharge door for one oi such cars, which means comprises a plurality of members tor supporting said door in its closed position and mechanism for moving said members out of their supporting positions with the door to allow the door to open, and which will permit thesemembers to automatically move into their supporting positions with the door when the door is being closed, and which is also adapted to lock these members in their supporting positions when the door is closed.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for operating a plurality of discharge door supporting members and for locking these members in their door supporting positions.

l hese and other objects will be apparent ti-om the following description.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts, Fig. l a plan view of a portion of a railway dump car embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is 1! side elevatiomil. view of the same, the door operating and locking mechanism being shown in locked position; Fig. 3 an. enlarged side elevational view 01 the same, the mechanism being shown in its position to permit the discl'iarge door to open by graviiy; Fig. l is a like view showing the mechanism in position for permitting the auto matic operation of the mechanism when the door is being closed and for supporting the door in closed position preparatory to locking the mechanism; Fig. is an em larged sectional view taken on the line of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 7 is a like view of a modification of a portion of the invention.

Referring now in detail. to the drawings, the reference character 1 indicates the side we ll 01. a railway car and 2 indicates the discharge doors, which are preferably hinged to or adjacent the center sill 3 and have their tree edges adj acent the side wall 1. Each of the doors :2 may be made of wood or metal and constructed in any preferred manner. Each of these doors is provided with strengthening members at, each of which is preferably U-shaped in cross-section for Serial No. 876.526.

the greater part of its length and has a horizontal flange 5 which is secured to the door. These members extend outwardly be yond the free edge of the door and preten ably beyond the side wall 1 and are adapted to be engaged by members 6 to support the door in closed position. The outer end portions of these members 4 instead ot being U-shaped in cross section areprovided with top portions 7 thus forming sockets for the reception of a bar or other suitable door closing means.

The members 6 are spaced apart and adjacent their upper ends are pivotally connected with bracket members 8 which are secured to the side wall 1. Each of these members adjacent its lower end is provided with a.

ledge 9, the upper surface of which is adapted to engage with the lower surface of the outer end portion of one of the members 1 and when in such engagement these members will support the door in closed position. The pivot points oi the members 6 are so located that these members will, alter they have been moved out. of engagement with the members 4:, move by gravity to their proper door supporting positions. There are two members 6 for each discharge door, which members are spaced apart and when operated. pref erably more in opposite directions. lie tween these members a stationary member 10 is provided which is secured to the side wall 1 which member is provided with an outwardly extending T-shaped projection 11 on which a member 12 slidably mounted. This member .12 provided with an opening 13 which is adapted toreceive the projection 11 and when the members are in their operative positions it will be noted that they will be so interlocked that they will not become accidentally separated and yet tree movement of the member 12 relative to the member 10 will. be permitted. The member 12 is provided with a projection 14; on which the inner end portions of links 15 are pivotally mounted the outer end por tion of each link being pivotally connected with one of the members (3. The member 12 is also provided with stop-shoulders 16 which are adapted to engage with stop shoulders 17 on the member 10 to prevent the member 12 from moving (ilownwardly an excessive distance. lVhen the stop shoulders 16 are in engagement with the stop shoulders 17 the lower end portion of the member 12 extends some distance below the member 10 and forms a striking block which may be struck by a sledge or other suitable tool to open the door.

The projection M of the member 12 on which the inner ends of the links 15 are mounted. is so located that when the members are in their door supporting positions and the stop shoulders 16 and 17 are in engagement with each other as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the axis of the projection will be in a position below a line drawn through the axis of the members connecting the links 15 and the members 6. In other words, the center of the projection is belo a straight line drawn through the center of the connections between the links 15 and members 6, thus locking the members (i in their door supporting positions.

The member 12 is provided with a dog 18 which is pivotally mounted on a projection. on the member 12 which projection in the presentembodiment of the invention is in the form of a pin 19. This dog 18 is adapted to engage the top surface of a projection 20 formed on the member and when in such engagement will support the links and member 12 in the position as shown in F ig -1 of the drawings in which position it; will be noted the axis of the projection it will be above the axes of the connections between the links 15 and members 6 and that the members 6, links 15 and member 12 are automatically movable as the discharge door is being moved to closed position. To permit the links 15 and member 12 to move from their positions as shown in Fig. 4- 0f the drawings to their locked positions as shown in Fig. 2, the dog 18 is moved outwardly to the position as shown in Fig. 5, tree of the projection 20, which permits the member 12 dog 18 and inner ends of the links 1.5 to move downwardly until the shoulders 16 engage the shoulders 17 at which time the several parts of the mechanism are in their locked positions. It will here be noted that the projection is spaced away from the. mcmber 12 a distance sutlicient to permit the dog 18, when it is in the position as shown in Fig. 5 to move downwardly with the member 12 as such member is moved to locked position.

To hold the mechanism in locked position against accidental movement the cam surface 21 of the dog 18 engages the under surface of the projection 20 and will thus prevent the member 12 and links 15 from moving upwardly to locked positions. It will be seen from Fig. (i of the drawings that if it is not desired to prevent accidental movement of the member 12 and links 15, the lower portion of the projection 20 may be so formed that the dog will not engage with it to hold the mechanism against accidental movement.

Assuming the door to be in closed position as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 5 and it is desired to open it, the operator moves the dog 18 out of engagement with the underside of the projection 20 and then strikes the lower end of the member an upward blow with a, sledge, causing the member 12. dog 18 and adjacent ends 01 the links 1:) to move upwardly. which in turn causes the members (3, through the medium of the links 1:"), to be pulled toward each other and out of engagement with the end portions of the members -4 secured to the door 2 at which time the door will be released and will more downwardly to its open position. As the member 12 being moved upwardly the dog 18, after it has been moved above the projection 20, will more automatically inwardly into the plane of the projection 20. After the door has been released the member 12 and dog 18 will move downwardly by gravity until the dog engages the top surface oi? the projection 20 and when in such engagement will support the member 12 and links 15 in the positions as shown in Figs. 4; and (lot the drawings. As the member 12 moves downwardly the members (1 more automatically to door supporting positions. as shown in Fig. 4.

To close the door the operator inserts a bar or other suitable device in the end portion of one of the members 4 and by the use of such bar raises the door until the tops 7 oi the members will engage th lower bevelled surfaces 23 ot the members (i and a continued upward movement o'l',the door will cause the. members (3 to move toward each other and out of the path of the ends of the niembcrs 1- until such time as the door is closed at which time the members (3 will move automatically to their door supporting positions as shown in Fig. -11. When the links are operating in the manner just dccribed the member 12 dog 18 and inner ends of the links 15 move automatically upwardly and downwardly the downward movement being limited by the dog 18 cugaging the top surface ll the projection 21). After the door has been closed and the mechanism is in the position as shown in Fig. -1- of the drawings the operator moves the dog 18 outwardly to a position free of the top surface of the projection 2t) which permits the member 12. dog .18 and inner ends of the links 15 to more automatically downward until such movement is stopped by the shoulders '16 on the member licngag ing the shouldcr.-- 17 on the member It). thus automatically lot-kin; the members (3 in their door supporting positions. As the shoulders 16 engage the shoulders 17 the dog 18 will automatically engage the lower surface of the projection 21) and will hold the member 12 and conncctwl parts against accidental upward movement.

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In cases where the dog 18 is not used to prevent accidental movement of the mechanism when such mechanism is in locked posi tion, Fig. 7, the operator in opening the door does not have to first move the dog be fore striking the member 12, but may first strike the member 12 and the operation of the dog during the operation of the mechanism will be entirely automatic up to the time it is desired to lock the members 6 in closed position when the dog is moved by the operator from the ledge 20 and the links drop to locking position.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains that changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the several parts of the mechanism without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a dump car, a discharge door, a pinrality of members pivotally mounted on the car body, adapted to support said door in its closed position, means for moving said members out of their door supporting positions, and means whereby simultaneous movement of said members is insured, the first mentioned means being adapted by gravity to automatically lock said members in their door supporting positions.

2. In a dump car, a discharge door, a plurality of members pivotally mounted on said car adapted to be moved into and out of supporting positions with said door, and means connected with said members and with said car for operating said members, said means being adapted by gravity to automatically lock said members in door supporting positions.

In a dump car, a discharge door, a plurality of members pivotally mounted on said car adapted to be moved into and out oi supporting positions with said door, means for moving said members out of door supporting positions, and means for insuring the simultaneous movement of said members, said means being adapted to permit said members to move automatically into sup porting position with the door when the door is closed and to automatically lock said members in supporting positions with said door.

4. In a dump car, a discharge door, members movable into and out of supporting positions with said door, a vertically mov able member between said members, links pivotally connected with said members and vertically movable member, the axis of the connection between said vertically movable member and said links'being adapted to move below the horizontal plane of the axes of the connections between said links and members to lock said members in their door supporting positions.

5. In a dump car, a discharge door, movable door supporting members, a vertically movable member between said members, links pivotally connected with said vertically movable member and said members, the center of the connection between said vertically movable member and links being adapted to be held above the centers oi the connections between said door supporting members and links, to permit the automatic operation of said door supporting members as the door is being closeo and adapted to be moved to a position below said centers to lock said door supporting members when the door is closed.

6. In a dump car, a discharge door, a plurality oi pivotally mounted door supporting members, mechanism for moving said members out of the door supporting posi tions, said mechanism embodying means for maintaining said mechanism in a position whereby said members are movable automa ically into door support-ing positions when the door is being closed, said means being releasable to permit said mechanism to automatically lock said members in their door supporting positions, and means coimected with said car and mechanism, whereby sinniltaneous movement of said members is insured.

7..In a dump car, a discharge door, a plurality of connected pivotally mounted members, movable into and out oi supporting positions with said door, mechanism for operating and al'itomatically locking said members when said door is closed and means connected with said car and mechanism for guiding said mechanism as it is operated.

'8. In a dump car, a discharge door, me1nbers pivotally mounted on said car, adapted to be moved into and out of supporting positions with said door, link members for locking said members in their door supporting positions, and means on said car for guiding said link members.

9. In a dump car, a discharge door, members pivotally mounted on said car, adapted to be moved into and out of supporting positions with said door, and means tor operating and locking said members, said means comprising links connected with each other and with said members and with the car.

10. In a dump car, a discharge door, members pivotally mounted on said car, adapted to be moved into and out of supporting positions with said door, links slidably mounted on said car and operatively connected with said members and with each other, adapted to lock said members in their door supporting positions.

11. In a dump car, a discharge door, members pivotally mounted on said car adapted to support said door in its closed position, a member movably mounted on said car, connections from said member to said mem bers, said member and connections being adapted to lock said members in their door ii i) supporting positions and being adapted to be moved to unlocked positions and move said members out of their door supporting positions, and means whereby said members are rendered automatically operable to their door supporting positions after the door has been released.

12. In a dump car, a discharge door, members pivotally mounted onsaid car, adapted to be moved into and out of supporting positions with said door, and mechanism for operating said members, said mechanism comprising a member movably mounted on said car, links therefrom to said members, connections between the links and member being adapted to be held at one side of the horizontal plane of the connections between said links and members whereby saidmembers are permitted to automatically move to their door supporting positions when the door is open and when it is being closed, said connections between the links and members being movable to the opposite side of the horizontal plane of the connections between the links and members for locking said members in supporting positions with said door.

13. In a dump car, a discharge door, members movable into and out of supporting positions with said door, mechanism for moving said members out of supporting positions with said door to open said door, and to permit said members to automatically move into supporting position with said door when the door is being closed and to'lock said members in their door supporting positions when the door is closed, said mechanism embodying a movable connection with the car.

14. In a dump car, a discharge door, members movable into and out of supporting positions with said door, means movably connected with the body of said car for operating said members, and means whereby a certaindown'ward movement of the first mentioned means will cause said members to be locked in their supporting positions with said door when it is closed.

15. In a dump car, a discharge door, members movable into and out of supporting positions with said door means t'or operatin-g'said men'ibers, said means in one position being adapted to permit the automatic operation of said men'il'iers and in another position being adapted to lock said members in their supporting positions with said door, and a movable connection between said means and car.

16. In a dump car, a discharge door, members movable into and out of supporting [)0- sitions with said door, means slidably connected with the body of said car for operating said members, said means being movable to different positions to permit the automatic operation of said members and to lock said members in their supporting positions with said door when said door is closed.

17. In a dump car, a discharge door, me1nhers movable into and out of supporting positions with said door, connected links for operating said men'ibers, the connection between said links being movable to a position whereby said members are held by the links in their supporting positions with said door, and guiding means for said links mounted on said car when it is closed.

18. In a dump car, a discharge door, members movable-in opposite directions to each other into and out of supporting positions with said door, common means coirmrising a pair of links movable relative to each other for both operating and locking said members, and means associated with the first mentioned means and car for insuring simultaneous movement of said members.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK E. MILLER 

